A Rainy Day, A Dreamlike World
by bigeandhertv
Summary: Based on a part in the episode Pishke Business.  Niles rescues C.C. from the torrential rainstorm that she is put in when they are hiding her from the investor.  I would hope he would actually do this.  I refuse to believe he would leave her in the rain!


_**A/N: This one-shot is based on a scene from the episode Pishke Business. I love this episode, although at this particular point in the episode I feel really bad for C.C. I would hope that Niles would actually act in the way I am about to portray him because I just can't take it in my mind if he would act otherwise. I refuse to believe that he would leave her outside in the cold and rainy darkness all day. Anyways, enough of my rambling, hope you all enjoy!**_

It was pouring down rain outside and the air was thick with cold as C.C. Babcock sat outside, locked out of Maxwell's office on the metal bench on the terrace. She would have ran to her car to get out of the rain, but considering the doors were locked and her keys were in the office, that seemed like a hopeless idea. Not to mention she wanted to see what was going on in the office as Nanny Fine pretended to be her and Maxwell went along with it.

_Great, I guess I screwed this one up, but I'll be damned if I let some cocky, pushy short little bald man have a cab that is rightfully mine. How was I supposed to know that the little twirp would end of being our biggest investor? And how does Nanny Fine think that she is going to act like me. There is just no way, we are way too different. _

_Well maybe I can coach her. We can't lose such a big investor over a few petty details about myself. I will prepare a little dossier on myself. We will win this investor over._

C.C. continued to ponder over this as she noticed the office suddenly cleared out and the door shut. She was cold and wet and the air was starting to get to her. She desperately knocked on the window. She felt powerless, as nobody seemed to hear her pleas.

The door opened briefly and Niles walked into the room. Thinking that maybe he would save her, she started knocking louder and faster, but he made no indication that he heard her at all and just shut the light off to the lamp and walked out.

C.C. stared through the window in disbelief as she realized that nobody had any intention of letting her back into the house. She had been outside for a while now and the cold was getting to her. She saw her breathe against the glass door of the office before collapsing to her knees in defeat.

_Would anybody really care if I was struck by lightning right now or if I froze to death from the cold? Probably not. _

She changed her position and sat down, pulling her knees toward her. She was really getting cold and her teeth were actually beginning to chatter. She would have walked to the front door and demand that Butler Boy let her in, but she was just too cold and she felt as if she was about to catch cold. She just continued to sit, cradled on the ground, feeling sorry for herself hoping that maybe somebody would let her in soon

…..

Niles had every intention of letting C.C. back in, he just figured he would play with her head a little bit before he did so. After all he lived for these daily games with her and she was in the position to where he could get her good.

However, truth be told, she had been out there a while now and he was starting to feel remorse for leaving her out in the rain in the first place. So after a few minutes of messing with her he came back in the office. He did not expect to see her collapsed to the ground

The huge wave of guilt immediately pierced his very core as he quickly opened the door and managed to pull her into the house.

He felt horrible at the sight of her. Every inch of her black business attire was sopping wet. Her mascara was running down her face and he wondered if maybe that wasn't from the rain but from her crying.

The worst of it all however was the fact that when he pulled her in he immediately noticed her teeth chattering and the slightly low temperature of her body as he pulled her into the Maxwell's office. She even started coughing due to the thickness of the air.

He helped her onto the couch and ran as fast as he could to retrieve several towels. He gave her one and she wrapped it around her blonde hair. He took the other towel and wrapped it around her shoulders as he helped her sop up some of the water from her business suit.

Unfortunately these towels did very little good. C.C. was soaked to the bone and her teeth were still chattering as the fan in the office was blowing on her

Niles knew something drastic need to be done or she would catch cold for sure. Of course under any normal circumstance he would have felt extremely awkward asking her of all people to take her clothes off, but given the circumstances her health was all that mattered right now.

"Ms. Babcock, I think you need to get out of those clothes. You will surely catch cold!"

As cold as she was, she still had an insult on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to say something sarcastic especially considering he was part of the reason she was soaked to the bone. But considering that he was the one helping her at this point, she decided to hold her tongue.

"C'mon upstairs Ms. Babcock. Fran or I could lend you something to wear while I throw you clothes in the dryer."

C.C. could hold her tongue no longer. She was angry at the fact that Fran was expected to play her. She thought the idea most offensive, considering she was a citizen of higher class and upbringing.

"I wouldn't be caught dead in any of her outfits."

"Nice to see the rain hasn't killed your normal chipper self" he smiled to himself as he helped her, with his arm around her and the towel draped over her shoulders, up the stairs

He had to admit that he was slightly excited in more ways than one to see her wearing one of his shirts. He led to his bedroom.

"Ms. Babcock, there's some shirts in the second drawer and a few pairs of sweat pants in the 3rd. Just leave your wet clothes outside the door and I'll stick them in the dryer for you."

And with that said, he walked out of the room to give her some privacy.

As soon as the door shut she immediately stripped down, relieved to finally get her wet clothes off. She cracked the door open and placed them in front of it before shutting it once more and turning the lock.

She opened the drawer and saw several button down shirts worn by Niles on a regular basis. Her eyes were drawn to a light blue button down and she slowly pulled it out of the drawer and let it unfold in front of her eyes.

Although the shirt had been washed and folded in the drawer, it still smelled like Niles. Although she would never say it out loud, she drank in that smell daily. She slowly put the shirt on and buttoned down the buttons. She reveled in the smell of him, which was now wrapped he entire upper body.

The shirt hung loosely on her shoulders, however being that she was a tall women, it did not entirely cover her lower body and it stopped about halfway down her bottom. Knowing that this would not be sufficient cover, she went down to the next drawer and pulled out a pair of gray cotton sweatpants.

The pants were a little loose of course, but with a little pull of the string, that problem could be rendered. Length wise however, they were just about right considering without her heels, she was about the same height as him.

She sat on Niles made bed and the warmth finally started to set back into her body. She felt much better and was surprisingly comfortable considering she was wearing her supposed enemies clothes.

…

Niles had come up and retrieved her clothes and threw them in the dryer. He still felt quite guilty about leaving her in the rain and wondered if there was a way in which he could make it up to her.

He knocked on the door and when he heard her respond, he slowly opened it. Ms. Babcock was sitting up in his bed with the covers draped over her legs.

He saw her wearing his shirt, as it hung loosely on her shoulders. He didn't know how to explain it in his mind but there was just something so damn sexy about a beautiful woman wearing his clothes. It was definitely a huge contrast to the normally guarded and closed off Babcock he was used to.

"Miss Babcock, I was planning on making some soup. Would you like me to bring you some? Chicken soup, good for the soul! Of course, I almost forgot, you don't have one." he chuckled to himself.

"Chicken soup would be great Butler Boy. Just make sure you keep your dust buster out of the broth!"

He smiled and laughed at her sarcasm, as he went down the stairs to prepare her some soup. When he was done, he gathered up some saltines and a bottle of water from the fridge. He put everything on a tray and carefully walked up the stairs to bring it to her.

He lifted one from the tray and carefully leaned against the door to stabilize it.

"Ms. Babcock, your soup is ready."

"Great, come in Rochester."

He opened the door with his free hand and carefully pushed the door open with his shoulder whilst putting his free hand back on the tray.

He walked over to her side and laid the tray in front of her. He started to head out of the room when suddenly he heard her speak.

"Niles, please don't go."

She realized immediately that she had said what was on her mind and it scared the living daylights out of her. She had to explain herself without admitting her true feelings.

"I just meant it would be nice to have some company while I eat. Truth be told, I have eaten lunch alone more times then I care to admit. Even a simple man like you is better than no one at all."

With that, she patted the area next her on the bed and asked him to sit down.

Not sure what to expect, but excited by the situation nonetheless he walked over and sat next to her as she sipped on her chicken noodle soup.

They sat in silence for a while as she finished off her soup. Once she was finished, she placed the tray on the bed table next to her. He was about to get up and deal with the tray, having the urge to clean up considering it was his job, but a hand grabbing his arm stopped him.

Again C.C. scared herself with her loss of control. Covering up this one wouldn't be so easy.

Of course Niles was as shocked as ever and turned around to see the expression on her face and try and figure out what exactly was going on in her mind.

C.C. was having a severely difficult time trying to think of what to say to him this instant to cover up her true feelings. Truth is she cared about him no matter how warped or twisted her way of showing it appeared to be. She was never good with matters of the heart but she knew right then and there that she wasn't yet ready for him to leave the room. Being in his clothes and bed and having him next to her just sitting with no barbs or wise-cracks between them felt like a dream to her. And it was a dream she was not yet ready to wake up from.

Niles just looked at her and although no words passed between them, he could see the pleading in her eyes. And so he did just want she wanted and sat back down next to her.

C.C., finally getting her wits about her simply said:

"I figured you could use a few minutes off your feet." she smiled at him warmly.

_What is going on here? Why do I feel this way? This man makes my life a living hell daily._

And yet she felt lost without him. She was fighting the urge to nestle her head against his shoulder. She was attracted to him of course but it was more than just physical attraction. It was this urge to be near him, to be his other half. Again she was terrified of her feelings and she did all she could to avoid showing her supposed enemy what was going on in her mind.

She just closed her eyes and bit her inner lip in hope that she could shield herself from him.

Of course he knew something was going on her mind as they sat there on his bed shoulder to shoulder. He felt oddly protective of her all of the sudden and guilt was still eating at him for leaving her in the rain. He could see some sort of discomfort evident in demeanor and facial expression.

Not being able to fight the urge any longer and feeling the need to comfort her, Niles slowly wrapped his arm around and pulled her close to him. He was happy to see that she was not repulsed by his touch.

In fact she reciprocated the same feelings he was conveying to her and put her head on his shoulder. It just felt so nice to be together. As much as they both loved and lived for the daily banter that went on between them it was nice to be on the same side for once, next to each other, not a care in the world.

Of course that could only last so long, before one of them had to open their mouth and break the silence. In this case it was Niles:

"You know Ms. Babcock, I'm surprised you didn't melt out there. Maybe you're not such a witch afterall."

They both turned and faced each other as she playfully slapped his arm for his light sarcastic remark. Niles still couldn't get over how sexy she looked with damp hair and his light blue shirt. They slowly migrated toward one another. Niles cupped her face with both his hand and slowly drew her into a sweet tender kiss. Her arms slowly wrapped around his neck as she melted into him.

Their kiss was cut short however when a buzzing sound was heard signaling that her clothes were done in the dryer.

"Ms. Babcock, I think your clothes are done."

Both were still stunned by the actions that just took place. C.C. for some reason couldn't seem to speak so se just quickly nodded her head in silence as Niles briskly walked down the stairs to retrieve her business attire out of the dryer.

The shock was still evident on C.C.'s face as she touched her lips with the tips of her index and middle fingers. She knew her dream world was about to end and everything would be back to normal. Her and Niles always seemed to have these moments. They just never managed to become her reality. She planned to revel in this dream world even if she only had a few minutes before she woke up.

Niles approached momentarily with her dry clothes. Both were standing in front of one another. C.C. still decked out in his shirt and sweat pants, her hair still slightly wet. He couldn't help but look her up and down as she stood in front of him waiting to change.

He placed her outfit on the bed and still stood in front of her mesmerized by the fact she was with him.

This time it was C.C. who lost control. She slowly walked up to him, grabbed his hands and lightly kissed him on the lips. Niles kicked the door shut as C.C. released his hands and he pulled her into an embrace. They continued to kiss each other slowly but with passion nonetheless. More was bound to happen between them however they were interrupted by a booming slightly loud British accent.

"Niles! Where are you? I have been waiting for my sandwich and soup for over an hour now. And where's C.C.? Find her would you, we have work to do if Fran is going to win over Charlie tomorrow night."

Niles talked through the door "Yes sir." And with that he was about to head out of the room but not before he was stopped by C.C. once more.

She opened her mouth to speak:

"Butler boy, I guess thanks are in order. Thank you for rescuing me. Between you and me, a few more minutes out there and I would have melted. The cold air sustained me for a minutes longer."

With that she smiled and placed one final kiss on his cheek before he left the room.

She removed his clothes and slowly put her business attire back on. As soon as she left his room , she knew everything would be back to normal and what happened between them would most likely be forgotten.

Before leaving however, she took in the smell of his shirt one last time in order to fully write this wonderful memory into her mind. She held the shirt to her heart for a minute or so before placing it back on his bed.

Slowly she walked out of the room and shut his door. It was now back to business. And so she walked quickly down the stairs ready to teach Nanny Fine how to be her while the brief memory of her and Niles short hour together lingered in her mind for years to come.


End file.
